Speedy Spotlight: Nickie O’Hara’s Typecast

An interview with Nickie O’Hara, author of the blog Typecast. Nickie spoke to Cision about her off-centre journey through life, her other blog Geekalicious and working with PRs.

Why should people read your blog?
People should read my blog because they got to the end of the internet and there’s nothing else left to do. I don’t really put myself in a niche and enjoy just writing what I want, when I want. I tend to tell people my blog is about everything and nothing.

What makes your blog different?
I write about what affects me and my family and I try to look for a different slant on the normal things in life because my journey through life has been a bit off-centre. I’m still with the same man I met when I was 18, one of our children was diagnosed with cancer, one has ADHD and I became a grandparent when I was 36. I’m aware it reads like a couple of episodes of the Jeremy Kyle show however I write about these subjects to try and break the stereotypical view that is so often portrayed. My profanity filter is broken too.

What’s your favourite blog and why?
There are SO MANY and my feedly reader is chock full of blogs of all different niches. I love the tutorials that Marie Mosely puts together on Code It Pretty because she champions Blogger as a blogging platform – it’s not all about WordPress, y’know? My geek streak also loves London Underground Lover and #EmptyUnderground. Ink Drops champions all things stationery and Philofaxy is full of hints and tips for keeping your Filofax in order. Finally, looking at old photos passes some time so I browse the pages of ReFotografie and Postcards Then and Now.  

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a blog?
Words are powerful and having your own space to write them in is a privilege. Write because you want to write, not because you feel you have to; build your own little community organically and respect your audience; embrace twitter; and finally, be true to who you are.

How does a good PR work with you?
Innovative ideas, challenges that really get me thinking and campaigns that I want to support or will benefit a charity I believe in. Because of this, I’ve been in contact with some PRs for a couple of years and I’ll go the extra mile if I’m enjoying what I’m helping to promote.  

What do PRs do that’s bad?
I believe that some of us ‘old time’ bloggers are used to the personal touch which was so much easier for PRs when the blogging community was smaller. I can totally understand why PRs send out blanket emails to gauge interest and it only takes a couple of minutes to email back with a polite ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response. Everyone is just trying to do their job at the end of the day. However, there are two things that totally grate with me: 1) A totally unrelated campaign (surely PRs are expected to do some research before reaching out?) and 2) careless sharing of personal information (i.e. including email trails, not using BCC).

What was your blogging highlight of 2013?
In 2012 I separated out some blogging tutorial-type posts and created a new blog called Geekalicious. During 2013, this blog and its content was recommended by many people and recognised as a useful resource in its own right. I was also approached to run the Race For Life and participated twice – once with my daughter and once with my sister-in-law. I managed to raise over £900 for Cancer Research UK and while my friends and family are very generous, I could never have reached that amount without the support of my readers and my social media network. 

What will be big in your blogosphere in 2014?
I don’t know. I don’t have a plan as blogging is a hobby with hugely fantastic benefits. I’m open to offers though!

Editorial information on Nickie O’Hara, Typecast, Geekalicious and thousands of other media contacts and outlets, can be found in the CisionPoint Media Database.